You could do a:
- Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care
- Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) including English and maths
Family support worker
Family support workers help and advise families with long or short-term difficulties.
Average salary (a year)
£18,000 Starter
to£50,000 Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
36 to 38 a week
You could work
evenings / weekends / bank holidays away from home
How to become a Family support worker
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- volunteering
- applying directly
College
Apprenticeship
You could do a children, young people and families practitioner higher apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and college qualifications like A levels for a higher or a degree apprenticeship
More information
Volunteering and experience
Experience is essential when applying for training or jobs. You can get this through paid or voluntary work in:
- children's homes
- nurseries
- family refuge centres
- probation services
- family community centres
- mental health services
- youth projects
Direct application
Employers will expect you to have:
- experience in working with children, young people and their families
- a minimum of a level 3 qualification in childcare, social work, social care, counselling, youth work or education
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- excellent verbal communication skills
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- sensitivity and understanding
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be flexible and open to change
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- the ability to understand people’s reactions
- being able to use a computer terminal or hand-held device may be beneficial for this job.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could be:
- working with people who have drug or alcohol addiction
- supporting a parent in hospital or prison
- supporting clients who are experiencing marital or financial difficulties
- supporting a child or parent with a disability
- being present at court sessions dealing with care orders for children
- working with social workers to assess a family's needs when a child returns home after being in care
- supporting people with language barriers who are struggling to access services
- developing a client’s parenting and home management skills
Working environment
You could work in an office, at a client's home or in a court.
Career path and progression
With experience and qualifications you could focus on a particular area, like working with people with disabilities.
You could also progress to team leader (managing a group of support workers) or become an assistant manager of a family centre or refuge.
Experience in family support may help if you want to move into social work.
Training opportunities
Apprenticeships In England
Lead Adult Care Worker Apprentice
- Wage : £111.00 Weekly
- Location: Bilston WV14 7LS
Apprentice Care Support Worker
- Wage : £300.00 Weekly
- Location: Bridgwater TA6 3EP
Courses In England
Health and Social Care Diploma
- Provider: Chenderit School
- Start date: 01 September 2019
- Location: BANBURY
Health and Social Care Diploma
- Provider: North Oxfordshire Academy
- Start date: 02 September 2019
- Location: Banbury